The small gathering at the Indian Squash and Triathlon Academy was treated to some delightful game of squash as the 14-year-old Anahat Singh turned around a two-game deficit to defeat Tanvi Khanna 9-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-8 to enter the semifinals of the HCL-78th Senior National championships here on Thursday.
Anahat will take on giant-killer Tanishka Jain of Maharashtra. Tanishka upset State-mate Urwashi Joshi, seeded ¾ in the last eight clash. Tanishka had earlier put it across Sanika Choudhari (seeded ⅝) in the pre-quarters.
The match of the day was the one involving players from Delhi–Anahat and Tanvi. The 26-year-old qualifier was flawless in the first two games, pushing Anahat to the corners and making the teenager run hither and thither. Anahat became mentally tougher as she retrieved well and combined a brilliant offence and defence game both from frontcourt and backcourt in the next three games, giving Tanvi little chance.
In a men’s quarterfinal match, former champion Harinderpal Singh defeated S. Navaneeth Prabhu, the second seed, 11-7, 11-6, 11-1. Harinder will next take on S. Velavan, who put it across Veer Chotrani 11-2, 11-1, 11-9.
Semifinal line-up: Men: Abhay Singh vs Sandeep Jangra; Velavan vs Harinder; Women: Joshna Chinappa vs Akansha Salunkhe; Anahat vs Tanishka.
The results (Quarterfinals):
Men: Abhay Singh (TN) bt Suraj Chand (Mah) 11-3, 11-4, 11-6; Sandeep Jangra (SSCB) bt Vijay Kumar (SSCB) 11-9, 8-11, 11-9,11-9; S. Velavan (TN) bt Veer Chotrani (Mah) 11-2, 11-1, 11-9; Harinderpal Singh (TN) bt Navaneeth Prabhu (TN) 11-7, 11-6, 11-1.
Women: Joshna Chinappa (TN) bt Anjali Semwal (Mah) 11-6, 11-6, 11-5; Akansha Salunkhe (Goa) bt Janet Vidhi (Mah) 11-8, 11-1, 11-3; Tanishka Jain (Mah) bt Urwashi Joshi (Mah) 11-9, 5-11, 12-10, 5-11, 11-4; Anahat Singh (Del) bt Tanvi Khanna (Del) 9-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-8.
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